Senate looks to gut $1B from budget - Business First of Columbus:

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That would include $417 million in targeted cuts to agency budgets resulting ina still-to-be-determineed number of state job reductions, Senate GOP leadersa said Friday as they unveile their plan to balance the two-yea r budget that begins July 1. Their budget bill would trim morethan $1 billion from the $114 billion spending plan passef by the Democrat-controlled Ohio House in At the same time, however, Senate Republicans said thei r budget proposal would boost spending for primar and secondary schools rather than cut fundiny for them as proposed in House-approved budget. It would raisr funding for grades K-12 school district by 0.
25 percent in fiscak 2010 compared to the current year andanothe 0.5 percent in 2011. Senate Republicans also rejected Gov. Ted Strickland’ws sweeping evidence-based school reformk plan, calling it “fundamentally flawed” because it is based on school staffin g needs instead ofstudent needs. They want the governor’zs proposed education model to be reviewedf by a bipartisanstudy council. Senats President Bill Harris, R-Ashland, said he wants the Senate, where Republicans hold a 21-12 majority, to pass a budget bill June 4 or 5.
That wouldr set the stage for a House-Senatr conference committee to hash out the differencezs in their versions of the bill and present a balanceds budgetfor Strickland’s signature by a June 30 deadlinre set by state law. “We want to work with the governoreand House,” Harris said, “tko do what is right for this great state. This budgert is part of that.” Like the Housse version, the Senate Republicans’ bill does not call for tax increasews and safeguards the broad tax reforms favored by the business communithy and approved by legislatorsin 2005. It also protectws a two-year tuition freeze at community colleges, such as Columbus and one-year freeze and 3.
5 percent cap on increasew in fiscal 2011at four-yead state universities, including , that were proposed by Strickland and passes by the House. Senate Republicans were able to provide such safeguards despite having to workwith $912 millioj less than what the House had counted on when it passefd its budget bill. The revenue shortfall becamde apparent in early May when the Strickland administrationb reported state income tax receipta through April 30 were 15 percent lower than a year ago and well belowsthe administration’s revised budget forecast in Besides the $417 million in cuts for statre agencies, Senate Republican budget-balancing movee include mandating $42 million in cost-containment measures for the Medicaid health-care program for the poor and locking in $200 millio n in agency service cuts ordered by Stricklanf earlier this year.
“We think spending more money is not the Harris said. “The answer is getting more Ohioanas back to work and helping more businesses and industrieds in Ohiobe successful.” • Eliminatin 34 proposed fee increases for employers, includintg ones affecting the agriculture and construction industries. Requiring state regulatory agencies to eliminate bureaucracy and red tapefor • Holding the line on new health-care mandates that drive up the cost of healthu insurance for employers. • Eliminatin g a proposed fee ofapproximately $8 million per year for the disposalo of construction and demolition debris.
Preserving funding for the and Ohio Stats University Extension for research andinnovation • Enhancing a $100 million film tax creditg to attract the motion picture industruy to Ohio. • Supporting expansion of the state’zs Job Retention Tax Credit and Technologty InvestmentTax Credit. Providing more funding for state Rapicd Outreach grants to attract and retaibn businessesin Ohio.